Asparagus lug



P.P.BUFFO A S PARAGUS LUG March 1, 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 50, 1946 w a A Q M Q T 4 w Q 1 v :1 MN MN W Y M k AR v N .Q N

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lllll ll rll Patented Mar. 1, 1949 2,463,!46 ASPARAGUS LUG Peter P. Buffo, Pittsburg, Calif., assignor of five per cent to John Buifo, Pittsburg, Calif.

Application October 30, 1946, Serial No. 706,720

3. Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in asparagus lugs or boxes.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved asparagus lug or box construction which will be used for loading asparagus tips therein to be placed on a traveling conveyor by one workman, while a second workman will remove a side of each lug or box and will place one hand on. inner member in thebox in contact with the butt ends of the asparagus tips while withdrawing the 3 box to: leave the asparagus tips neatly stacked on the conveyor chain or belt to be fed to the rotary cutter knives at the. end of the endless conveyor.

Another object. of the invention is to provide an improved asparagus lug or box to be used in connection with an endless conveyor and a cutting and trimming machine, where tWo workmen will be able to do the work formerly done by many workmen, one man being used to load the asparagus lugs on the conveyor belt, and the other man will step by step remove the several portions of the lug or box prior to the asparagus reaching the trimming and cutting machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved asparagus lug or bufi box which will be highly efficient in operation, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and produce.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanyingdrawings which form a part of this application,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an asparagus cutting and trimming machine showing several asparagus lugs or boxes thereon illustrating the various stages of the operation from the time the filled asparagus lug or box is placed upon the conveyor belt until the asparagus is stacked thereon in position to be cut;

Figure 2 is a plan View looking down on an asparagus lug or box;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a similar sectional view to that shown in Figure 3 but with the sliding back of the box removed;

Figure 5 is a perspective view broken into two portions and partly in section to show the front member of the lug box which is also removable;

Figure 6 is a detail plan view of a metal lined groove in the lug box with the end of a removable front member therein, and

Figure 7 is a detail plan view showing the front member being supported in the lug box by a wood spacer lip.

Like characters of reference are used throughout the following specification and the accompanying drawings to designate corresponding parts.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided an improved form or type of asparagus lug or box used to more efiiciently load asparagus spears onto a conveyor belt where it is conveyed to a cutting and. trimming machine as used in packing houses and canneries.

The machine shown in Figure 1 is the usual asparagus cutting and trimming machine and comprises an endless conveyor having an upper reach of belt I and a lower reach of belt 2, and a rotary cutter blade or blades 3 operated in any desired manner.

The subject matter of the instant invention comprises an asparagus lug or box which is substantially rectangular in shape, having a bottom 4, opposite ends '5 and 6, a front I secured to said bottom 4 and extending between said ends 5 and 6, being also secured thereto. A slot 8 is formed through the front 1 whereby the fingers of a hand may be inserted therethrough for removing the lug or box.

Horizontally spaced wood spacer lips 9 and ID are secured to the inner or rear surface of the box front I and support the removable front member I! which is disposed in the box in contact with the butt ends of the asparagus tips l2 when placed in the lug or box.

Channels or grooves I3 and M are formed respectively in the inner surfaces of the ends 5 and 6 in the upper surface of the bottom 4 adjacent the rear or back of the lug or box and will 'detachably support the back member I5. The grooves l3 and I 4 will be metal lined as at It to give additional wear or life to the lugs or boxes.

In operation, one workman will take the lugs or boxes with the removable front and back members in position filled with asparagus tips l2 to extend flush with the top thereof, and place the filled box generally denoted by the letter A upon the upper reach I of the conveyor, and will repeat the operation as long as there are filled lugs or boxes remaining.

A second Workman will stand at a point about intermediate the length of the conveyor and will first remove the back member [5 from the lug or box permitting the asparagus points to extend toward the vertically disposed fixed conveyor guide I l as generally denoted by the letter B. He will then place one hand between the front member H and the adjacent box front 1 holding the front member I l in contact with the butt ends of the asparagus tips [2 while placing the other handle in the slot 8 and sliding the lug or box from under the asparagus tips to permit the same to rest upon the upper reach l of the conveyor as generally shown by the letter C, after which the front member I I will be removed as shown by the letter D leaving the asparagus piled on the said conveyor.

Thus, it will be seen that two workmen will be able to do the job originally requiring many workmen to accomplish.

While the preferred embodiment of the instant invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention thereto, as many minor changes in detail of construction may be resorted to without departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention Patent of the United States is:

1. An asparagus lug or box including an interconnected bottom, front and end walls, said bottom and end walls being formed with aligned channels, a vertically removable rear member disposed in said aligned channels, horizontally spaced spacer lips secured to the inside surface of said front wall, and a vertically disposed front member of lesser length than the distance between the inside surface of said box end walls engageable with said spacer lips when said box is filled with asparagus tips.

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters lesser length than the distance between the inside surfaces of said box end walls engageable with said spacer lips when said box is filled with asparagus tips.

3. An asparagus lug or box including an interconnected bottom, front and end walls, said bottom and end walls being formed with aligned channels, a metal lining in said aligned channels, a vertically removable rear member disposed in said aligned channels, horizontally spaced spacer lips secured to the inside surface of said front wall, a vertically disposed front member of lesser length then the distance between the inside surfaces of said box end walls engageable with said spacer lips when said box is filled with asparagus tips, said box front being formed with a hand engaging aperture whereby one hand will engage and hold the front member in fixed position when said asparagus tips are in juxtaposition as the other hand will engage the hand engaging aperture in the box front to slide the same forwardly from under the asparagus tips.

PETER P. BUFFO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

